Samsung Galaxy S3 and iPhone 4S have similar camera sensors

By Gene Ryan Briones on 06/01/2012

What will be your initial reaction when you’ll hear that the Samsung Galaxy S3 has the same camera sensor as that of the iPhone 4S? According to iFixit, who collaborated with Chipworks on the teardown of the Samsung Galaxy S3, the 8 megapixel camera sensor used on the Samsung Galaxy S3 is a Sony BSI unit and that it is actually the same camera sensor used on the iPhone 4S.

Chipworks, a company specializing in patent infringement analysis of semiconductors and electronic systems, published a report last year revealing that the iPhone 4S is using Sony’s IMX145 camera sensor. The company pointed out that the Samsung Galaxy S3 is also equipped with an 8 megapixel Sony image sensor. “Chipworks has confirmed that the camera has a Sony BSI sensor, and that it’s basically the same unit found in the iPhone 4S,” iFixit wrote on its blog.

Furthermore, iFixit also confirmed Corning’s announcement that the Galaxy S3 is designed with Gorilla Glass, but pointed out that the Gorilla Glass is fused to the display, and the display welded to the frame making as well. “This will greatly increase the amount of money one has to spend when replacing the glass, should one be unfortunate enough to break it,” iFixit commented. You can check out the rest of the teardown here.